Chicago Cubs Wiretap

The left-hander didn't start on Opening Day in 2016 with Jake Arrieta coming off a Cy Young win.

"I've been fortunate enough to do this a few times," Lester said. "It's always a huge honor. ... To be entrusted with that a couple times here and other places, it's just a huge honor to have that on your shoulders and try to get your team off to a good start."

The Chicago Cubs are working to "enhance" their domestic violence training and awareness after Addison Russell was suspended for 40 games last year after violating the league's domestic abuse policy.

Russell will be a full participant in spring training, but will sit out the first 28 games of the regular season to complete his suspension.

"We've taken this plague of domestic violence to heart," Theo Epstein said. "We've really stepped up and enhanced our training. By the time spring training is over, every single employee in the organization will have gone through enhanced domestic violence training. Every major league player, every major league coach, every major league staff member. Every minor league player, every minor league staff member [and] every member of the front office will have gone through a pretty rigorous domestic violence training program to increase education and awareness."

Russell's ex-wife, Melisa-Reidy Russell, went public with allegations of domestic abuse in September.

Tom Ricketts, chairman of the Chicago Cubs, is distancing himself from what he characterized as "racially insensitive" email exchanges involving his father, Joe Ricketts.

The messages were publicly leaked by splinternews.com.

The elder Ricketts, the founder and former CEO of TD Ameritrade, holds no title with the Cubs.

"We are aware of the racially insensitive emails in my father's account that were published by an online media outlet," Tom Ricketts said in a statement. "Let me be clear: The language and views expressed in those emails have no place in our society.

"My father is not involved with the operation of the Chicago Cubs in any way. I am trusted with representing this organization and our fans with a respect for people from all backgrounds. These emails do not reflect the culture we've worked so hard to build at the Chicago Cubs since 2009."

The emails go back several years and include racist messages and jokes that Joe Ricketts comments on in a positive manner.

Kris Bryant called St. Louis boring during a lighthearted interview at Cubs Convention last week, which made several members of the Cardinals upset.

Yadier Molina was especially upset with the comments and won't let it go.

He called Bryant a "loser" on Instagram and expanded on his reaction this week.

"Oh, it will. It will carry [into the season]," Molina said. "I can't wait to get on the field."

"St. Louis is home. If anybody says anything bad about my home, I'm going to be there for us. I said to the guys, 'We are like a family. We have to stick together. We have to defend ourselves, and we have to defend our ground.' Whoever says something about us, we are going to be there to defend us."

The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals won't see each other until early May, but the heat already has been turned up on one of baseball's best rivalries.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant called St. Louis "boring" during a comedic moment at the team's annual fan convention this weekend. When Cardinals star catcher Yadier Molina heard about the comment, he responded by saying "only stupid players and losers" make fun of other cities.

Cubs star Kris Bryant and Giants third baseman Evan Longoria both expressed frustration for free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, who remain unsigned with less than a month to go before spring training begins.